Railroad track gripping apparatus



Sept. 27, 1966 s. I. FEKETE RAILROAD TRACK GRIPPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1964 M7 Z I; M? $6M Sept. 27, 1966 s. 1. FEKETE RAILROAD TRACK GRIPPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1964 HELL} w W f am H m e v m w W 5 e s m a I (u M N 4 i 2 6 2% Z J. 5 l 4 W. A Z i v 4 A; l 3 U W 4 a 6 M Mg 5 F 2 v2 I 4 5 3 I 6 5 5 TE,

Sept. 27, 1966 s. l. FEKETE RAILROAD TRACK GRIPPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June L0, 1964 2 Ma /l0 [70 ms L no I57. 5

Sept. 27, 1966 s. l. FEKETE 3,274,952

RAILRQAD TRACK GRIPPING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent Ofifice 3,274,952 Patented Sept. 27, 1966 3,274,952 RAILROAD TRACK GRIPPING APPARATUS Stephen I. Fekete, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Mann'nr International Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed June 10, 1964, Ser. No. 374,098 Claims. (Cl. 1047) This application is a continuation-in-p-art of my earlier filed application Serial No. 285,052, filed June 3, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention relates to apparatus for use with vehicles constructed for travel on railroad tracks, and is concerned with mechanisms for transmitting vertical forces between track and vehicle in the opposite direction to those resulting from the weight of the vehicle. Such forces may take the form of forces exerted upwardly on the track by the vehicle to lift a span of track, or conversely, they take the form of forces exerted downwardly on the vehicle by the track in order to hold the vehicle on the track in the face of some sideways pull or tilting moment, as for example can arise in the case of a track mounted crane.

Track lifting is the main application for which the present invention has been developed, and for this reason it will be described below principally in relation to such use. In this aspect the invention relates to apparatus adapted to elevate successive portions of the track as a continuous operation, that is to say as the vehicle proceeds down the track. Such apparatus may be used with other instrumentalities such as under-track devices for working the roadbed or ballast thereon and which are such as to require temporary elevation of the track. Other uses of the apparatus will be to assist in the slewing or alignment of track.

When employed for track lifting the apparatus is used in conjunction with an elongated boom each end of which rests on a cart. The two carts rest on unelevated sections of track. At an appropriate location intermediate the two carts, the lifting apparatus is secured to the boom. The apparatus includes rollers which grasp the heads of the rails and apply the necessary lifting forces to elevate the span of track between the two carts. Essentially such an arrangement was disclosed in Arbenz et al. US. Patent No. 1,100,006, issued June 16, 1914.

When it is desired to render such apparatus suitable for continuous operation while traveling along the track, a problem is encountered in the form of the encumbrance to the rollers that is presented by the angle bars or fish plates which join the ends of adjacent rails together. Arbenz et .al. met this problem (see FIGURE 14 of said patent) by providing comparatively sharp edged rollers and squeezing these edges tightly into the small space shown between the top edge of the angle bar and the underside of the head of the rail. This solution to the problem is not practicable with the type of angle bar now currently in use, because the top of the angle bar fits snugly underneath the head of the rail and leaves insufiicient space for any eifective purchase to be gained by the roller flanges. When the rails are joined together by welding, a similar problem arises. The weld forms a protuberance that forces the lifting rollers apart and prevents their retaining a proper lifting grip on the rail head.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved structure that will operate satisfactorily on track fitted with modern angle bar or in which the rails are welded together,

Other objects and feature of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

The accompanying drawings illustrate apparatus for carrying the invention into practice. The description which follows is provided by way of example only, the scope of the invention being determined by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a small scale, side view of a complete track lifting assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a fragment of FIGURE 1 showing the rail lifting mechanism in more detail and on a larger scale;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line IIIIII in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial section on the line IVIV in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of one of the roller assemblies;

FIGURE 6 is a section on the line VIVI in FIG- URE 5, but including a rail;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the parts in another position;

FIGURE 8 is a detailed view of a feeler structure;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of a second construction taken on the line IXIX in FIGURE 10 but with certain parts shown exposed;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG- URE 9 taken on the line X-X in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a front fragmentary view taken on the line XI-XI in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is the same as FIGURE 11 with the parts in a different position;

FIGURE 13 is a detailed view of a hold-down roller structure;

FIGURE 14 is a detailed view of a feeler structure taken on the line XIVXIV in FIGURE 15; and

FIGURE 15 is a view on line XVXV in FIGURE 14.

The apparatus shown in FIGURE I consists of a boom 10 supported at each end on carts 11 and 12 on unelevated portions of track 13. The lifting mechanism 14 shown centrally of FIGURE 1 to elevate a span 15 of track is shown in more detail in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. This mechanism comprises a frame 20 formed on its upper surface with a transversely extending slideway 21 in which can slide the lower flange of an I-beam 22 which is freely pivotally supported by brackets 23 and pivot pins 24 from a pair of columns 25 that are vertically slidably mounted in a frame member 26 of the boom 10. Vertical movement is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder 27, the piston 28 of which is also connected to the I-beam 22 through brackets 29 and pivot pin 30. The pivot pins 24 and 30' are all coaxial so that the lifting frame 20 is free to rotate about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the track. This enables it to take up any necessary position corresponding to the attitude of the track.

Transverse shifting of the frame 20 is obtainable by a motor 31 (FIGURE 4) driving a pinion 32 which meshes with a gear 33 which is internally threaded to receive a screw 34. The ends of the screw 34 are attached by pivot pins 35 to upstanding plates 36 secured to the lifting frame 20. Rotation of the motor 31 in the appropriate direction thus produces a bodily shifting of the whole frame 20 to one side, sliding taking place between the slideway 21 and beam 22. This movement enables the apparatus to be accommodated to curves in the track and also permits an operator to use the apparatus to modify the alignment of the track, over both curved and straight sections.

As seen from FIGURE 2, the rollers 50 which engage the rails are formed into three groups 40, 41 and 42, such groups being repeated on the other side of the track (see FIGURE 3). Each group consists of three individual rollers 50, arranged two on one side of the rail and one on the other side. The side on which 3 the single roller is arranged is alternated between the groups.

Each roller assembly also includes a pair of feeler mechanisms 51 supported one beyond each end of each roller group. Brackets 52 mount the feeler mechanisms 51 in fixed positions by connecting them to the casings 53 of the roller assemblies.

As shown in FIGURES and 6, each assembly casing 53 supports its three rollers so as each to be freely pivotab'le on bearings 54 about normally vertical axes defined by stub axles 55. Roller flanges Stla closely engage the undersurfaces of the head of the rail 64. Each of the axles 55 is mounted in its casing 53 to pivot about a horizontal pin 56, such pivoting being controlled by an arm 57 which is secured to each axle 55. At their upper ends the arms 57 converge towards the centre of the easing 53 and each carry a further pin 53 that engages a slot 59 in an elongated actuating bar 60 which is forked at 61 to embrace each of the arms 57. The bar 60 is vertically slidably mounted in guide surfaces 61 of the casing 53 and is moved up and down by the pistons 62 (FIGURE 7) of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 63.

The effect of expanding such cylinder, shown in FIGURE 7, is to rotate the rollers 5t} about their pins 56 from their rail-embracing condition to a spread-open or railreleasing condition in which they are separated from the rail 64.

Each feeler mechanism 51 comprises a flexible probe 65 mounted on a ball 66 (FIGURE 8) supported in a socket 67 and acting on the actuating pin of a microswitch 68. This mechanism is conventional and no claim is made to any novelty therein. For each of the six groups of rollers, the two associated feeler mechanisms 51 are connected in parallel by electric cables 74 to a power source 75 and to a solenoid and hydraulic valve assembly 73 (FIGURE 7) which passes hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder 63 through lines 72. As soon as either one of the probes 65 of a given roller assembly is deflected from its normal position in which it just clears the web 69 of the rail 64 (FIGURE 6) by striking an angle bar 70 (FIGURE 7), the cylinder 63 is energized to move the rollers to their rail-releasing condition. Release of both probes causes positive reversal to move the rollers to rail-embracing condition.

Thus, assuming the parts to start in the position shown in FIGURE 2, if the apparatus were to move along the track to the right the probe of the leading feeler mechanism 51 of the central roller group 41 would soon encounter the angle bar 70 with the result that the rollers of this group will be spread open to the FIGURE 7 position. Before this leading probe is released by the angle bar 70 the probe of the trailing feeler mechanism 51 of the same roller group will be deflected by the same angle bar. The rollers will thus be maintained in the open position until the trailing feeler probe of the roller group 41 has passed beyond the end of the angle bar 70.

In order to achieve this operation, the spacing of the parts is important. The spacing between the probes of each pair of feeler mechanisms, that is to say the feeler mechanisms located at each end of a given roller group, must not exceed the length of the shortest angle bar to be encountered in practice. In this way the trailing feeler mechanism must be actuated before the leading feeler mechanism is released and rollers are held open.

To avoid two groups of rollers being open simultaneously, the spacing between adjacent probes of adjacent roller groups, that is to say the spacing between the probe of the trailing feeler mechanism of roller group 42, for example, and the probe of the leading feeler mechanism of roller group 41 must be greater than the longest angle bar to be encountered in practice. A typical bar length is 36 inches.

As will best be appreciated from FIGURE 1, an elevated span of track will have a significant upward curvature. The sharpness of this curvature will tend to be increased when the ends of the elevated span are artificially held down on the roadbed by downward thrust at the carts 11 and 12. To provide ideal lifting conditions with a track so curved, the central roller group 41 on each side is secured to the frame 2 1 at a slightly higher elevation than that of the front and rear roller groups 40 and 42. If desired, the magnitude of this vertical differential between roller groups can be made adjustable by mounting one or other of the assemblies to be vertically movable on the frame 20. Although the track will not normally be elevated and hence not upwardly curved when the lift ing mechanism is in the fully down position shown in FIGURE 2, this view shows a typical curvature of elevated track to facilitate appreciation of this aspect of the invention.

Whenever a roller group approaches an angle bar, the rollers are automatically spread out to their rail-releasing condition to pass freely by the angle bar and no two groups of rollers (on any one rail) will be open simultaneously. It follows that each rail will always be supported by at least two groups of rollers. If support by only one group can be accepted as it normally can, then only two groups need be provided to engage each rail. Such an arrangement is illustrated in the alternative construction of FIGURES 9 to 15.

This mechanism is supported by a pair of horizontal, transverse beams that are slidingly mounted in tubular supports 31 secured to the boom 10. Each beam 80 has secured to each of its ends a vertically oriented, tubular support 82 in which a vertically extending beam 83 is slidingly mounted. The lower end of each beam 83 carries a bracket 84 to which is connected the piston rod 85 of a hydraulic cylinder 86 secured to the associated support 82. On each side of the track the lower ends of the beams 83 support a horizontal, longitudinally extending beam 87. The connection of each horizontal beam 87 to each vertical beam 83 is pivotally, being about a pin 88, and, at one end, some freedom to slide is provided by a slot 89 in the beam 87 which cooperates with the pin 88.

Between the forward ends of the two beams 87 there extends an interconnecting horizontal beam 90, and a similar beam joins the rear ends of the two beams 87. At each end, somewhat inwardly of the beams 87, the interconnecting beams 90 support four rollers assemblies shown generally at 91.

Each roller assembly 91 includes a pair of rail-gripping rollers 92 each freely pivotable on bearing 94 about a normally vertical axis (FIGURE 11) defined by a stub axle 93. Each bearing 94 is mounted on a frame 95 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 96 in the fixed structure 97 of the assembly 91. Frame 95 carries a pin 98 that slidingly engages a slot 99 in plate 100 secured to the lower end of a piston rod 101 of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 102. It will be evident that vertical movement of the rod 101 will cause rotation of the pair of rollers 92 between the rail-embracing condition of FIGURE 11 and the rail-releasing condition of FIGURE 12.

It will be observed that, in this embodiment of the invention, the rollers are swung about axes (defined by pins 96) that are offset from the axes of the stub axles 93 in the direction away from the rail 64. As a result, when the rollers are swung inwardly to their rail-embracing condition they also perform a lifting motion which serves to pick up the rail which may have sagges slightly at this location while being supported only by the other roller group. The lifting action of the rollers also serves to force the rail head tightly up against a pair of hold-- down rollers 163 and thus ensure an accurate location of the rail in relation to the roller assembly.

As best seen in FIGURE 13, each roller 103 is mounted to rotate freely about a pin 104 which is secured at its ends in a forked frame 105 that is slidably mounted in the fixed structure 97 and adjustable in position by screw 106 secured by lock nut 107.

Detection of angle bars 70 is effected by feeler mechanisms 1 of which there are eight, one located immediately ahead and one immediately behind each pair of railgripping rollers 92. Each mechanism 110 (FIGURES 14 and 15) comprises a feeler roller 111 having a pair of flanges 111a straddling a rail 64, and a central portion 11 1b riding on such rail. The roller 111 is mounted on a forked arm 112 that is free to turn on pin 113. Arm 112 bears on a pin 1'14 projecting from one arm 115 of a bell-crank lever, the other arm 1116 of which is acted on by a spring 117 that urges the arm 116 against a stop 118 secured to support 119 and hence of casing 120. Support 119 also supports a micro-switch 121 having an actuating plunger 122 engaging the arm 116.

Normally the roller portion 1 11b will ride on the rail head as shown in FIGURE 14. When the angle bar 70 is encountered, the flanges 111a will ride up on the same, slightly elevating the arm 112 and hence turning the arm 11 6 sufficiently to actuate the micro-switch 1 21 to energize a solenoid 123 to move the rollers 92 to open position. Initial setting up adjustment of each feeler mechanism 9 1 is effected by screw 124 which controls the relative positions of casing 120 and fixed structure 97.

In FIGURE 9 the second embodiment of the invention is shown engaging unelevated rail. It will be employed in the manner of FIGURE 1 to elevate a span of track by the lifting action of cylinders 86. Any variation from horizontal of the rails can be followed by the rollers by virtue of the freedom of horizontal beams 87 to pivot at each end at their connections to vertical beams 83. In addition to this lifting action the whole assembly can perform a track aligning operation by lateral shifting of the beams 80 relative to the boom 10. Shifting in one direction is powered by a pair of cylinders 125 and in the other direction by a pair of cylinders 126.

As an alternative, automatic operation by feelers can be dispensed with, the various hydraulic cylinders 63 and 102 being individually controlled by an operator. There will normally be an operator travelling on the boom 10 to take care of other apparatus mounted thereon and suspended therefrom beneath the track. It will be necessary for the operator to control the lateral shifting of the frame by motor 31 or of beams 80 by cylinders 125, 126, to take into account transverse curvature of the track as the apparatus proceeds, and the same operator can actuate the hydraulic cylinder 63 or 102 of each roller group at the appropriate time to cause the rollers to spread and allow an angle bar to pass. With the feeler mechanisms 5-1 or 110 thus dispensed with, the critical spacing, that is the spacing which must be at least as great as the length of the longest angle bar to be encountered, will now theoretically be determined as between adjacent rollers of adjacent roller groups, rather than between adjacent feeler mechanisms of adjacent roller groups. However, as a practical matter, it will be convenient to make the spacing between roller groups rather larger than this theoretical minimum in order to allow the operator some latitude of judgment in the timing he adopts for closing the roller group which has just passed beyond an angle bar and then opening the next roller group which is just approaching the same angle bar.

As above mentioned, the invention may be applied to vehicles such as cranes or excavators that travel on rails and require holding down against tilting. In this case no lifting mechanism is required, the rollers and their associated mechanisms (hydraulic cylinder, mechanical linkages, and preferably the feelers for automatic operation) being provided in addition to the normal wheels that support the vehicle on the track. All the features described above are applicable to such a construction, with the exception of the mounting of the roller groups at different levels to accommodate an upwardly curving track. Since the track would not be lifted, it would become curved in this way.

Although it will be much preferred that the rollers of each group grip the head of the same rail, it would be possible to space the rollers of a group by the width of the track so that the rollers are moved in to embrace the outside edges of the heads of the two rails or conversely are moved out to embrace the inside edges of the heads of the two rails, it being assumed that in such cases the gauge of the rails is rigidly maintained by the ties, or the flanges of the wheels of the vehicle if the invention is applied say to a vehicle mounted crane, the rollers being located near such wheels. With these alternatives in mind, reference in the claims which follow to the rollers of a group gripping a rail structure is intended to include such rollers gripping oppositely facing surfaces of a single rail or a pair of rails.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for gripping a section of railroad track, the rails of which are joined together by angle bars, comprising:

(a) a plurality of groups of rail gripping rollers,

(h) each group comprising a plurality of rollers with at least one said roller positioned on each side of a rail structure,

(c) each roller including a flange portion for grippingly engaging the underside of a rail head of said rail structure,

(d) each group including means for moving said rollers between a closed, rail-embracing condition and an open, rail-releasing condition,

(e) said moving means for each group being operable independently of the moving means for each other P,

(f) and detection means associated with each group positioned immediately forwardly and rearwardly of each group for detecting an angle bar on said rail structure,

(g) the detection means for each group being connected to the roller moving means of the same group to actuate the latter on detention of an angle bar to move the rollers to open condition.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means mounting said roller groups spaced from each other along the rail structure in the direction of extent of the track with a clear space between the nearest pair of detection means of each pair of adjacent groups greater than the longest angle bar in use on said track.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each said group comprises at least three rollers with at least two rollers positioned on one side of the rail structure and at least one roller positioned on the other side of the rail structure.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means pivotally mounting the rollers of each group for movement between said open and closed positions, the axes about which the rollers pivot between said open and closed positions being so displaced outwardly of the rail structure that the flange portions of the rollers that engage the rail structure exert a lifting action on said structure on movement of said rollers to the closed position.

5. Apparatus for gripping a section of railroad track, the rails of which are joined together by angle bars, comprising:

(a) at least four groups of rail gripping rollers,

(b) each group comprising a plurality of rollers with at least one said roller positioned on each side of a rail of said track,

(0) each roller including a flange portion for grippingly engaging the underside of the head of its associated ra1 ((1) each group including means for moving said rollers between a closed, rail-embracing condition and an open rail-releasing condition,

(e) said moving means for each group being operable independently of the moving means for each other p,

(f) means mounting a respective pair of said groups to engage each rail of the track,

7 (g) and a pair of detection means associated with each group positioned respectively forwardly and rearwardly of each group for detecting an angle bar on the rail engaged by said group, said detection means being spaced from each other by a distance less than the shortest angle bar in use on said track,

(h) the detection means for each group being connected 6. Apparatus for lifting a span of railroad track, the rails of which are joined together by angle bars, comprising:

(a) a vehicle comprising a pair of carts spaced apart along the track and a boom interconnecting said carts,

(b) a lifting frame vertically movably mounted on said boom intermediate said carts,

(c) at least four groups of rail-lifting rollers,

(d) means mounting a respective pair of said roller groups on said frame to engage each rail of the track,

(e) each group comprising a plurality of rollers with at least one said roller positioned on each side of a rail of said track,

(f) each roller including a flange portion for supportingly engaging the underside of a rail head,

(g) each group including means for moving the rollers thereof between a closed, rail-embracing condition and an open, rail-releasing condition,

(h) said moving means for each group being operable independently of the moving means for each other p,

(i) and a pair of detection means associated with each group mounted on said frame respectively forwardly and rearwardly of each group for detecting an angle bar on the rail engaged by said group, said detection means being spaced from each other by a distance less than the shortest angle bar in use on said track,

(j) the detection means for each group being connected to the roller moving means of the same group to actuate the latter to move its rollers to open condition on detection of an angle bar,

(k) said mounting means mounting said roller groups spaced from each other along the respective rail in the direction of extent of the track with a clear space between the nearest pair of detection means of each .pair of adjacent groups on each rail greater than the longest angle bar in use on said track.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including means pivotally mounting the rollers of each group on said frame for movement between said open and closed positions, the pivotal axes of the rollers being displaced outwardly from the rail engaged by said group beyond the rotational axes of said rollers whereby the flange portions of the rollers that engage the rail heads exert a lifting action on said rail heads on movement of said rollers to the closed position.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein there are six said groups of rail-lifting rollers with three such groups mounted on said frame to engage each rail of the track, and wherein said mounting means mounts said roller groups with the centrally located group for each rail at a higher elevation than other groups for such rail to conform the levels of the flanges of the rollers of the respective groups to a curved span of track elevated by said apparatus and extending downwardly to the roadbed beyond each extremity thereof.

9. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the axes about which the rollers pivot between their open and closed positions are disposed outwardly of the longitudinal axes about which the rollers rotate.

10. Apparatus for travelling along a railroad track while simultaneously lifting a span of said track, the rails of which track are joined together by angle bars, comprising:

(a) a vehicle comprising a pair of carts spaced apart along the track and a boom interconnecting said carts,

(b) a lifting frame vertically movably mounted on said boom intermediate said carts,

(c) six groups of rail lifting rollers,

(d) each group comprising a plurality of rollers with at least one roller of the group positioned on each side of a rail of said track,

(e) each roller including a flange portion for supportingly engaging the underside of a rail head,

(f) each group including means for moving the rollers thereof between a closed, rail-embracing condition and an open-rail-releasing condition, said moving means for each group being operable independently of the moving means for each other said group,

(g) and means mounting all said roller groups on said frame with three of said roller groups engaging each rail of the track with the groups spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a clear space between the two nearest rollers of each pair of adjacent groups on each side of the vehicle greater than the longest angle bar in use on said track,

(h) said roller groups being mounted on said frame with the centrally located group for each rail at a higher elevation than the other groups for such rail to conform the levels of the flanges of the rollers of the respective groups generally to the curvature of a span of track elevated by said roller groups and extending downwardly to the road bed on each side of said roller groups to said carts.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1927 Germany. 9/1932 Germany. 

1. APPARATUS FOR GRIPPING A SECTION OF RAILROAD TRACK, THE RAILS OF WHICH ARE JOINED TOGETHER BY ANGLE BARS, COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF GROUPS OF RAIL GRIPPING ROLLERS, (B) EACH GROUP COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS WITH AT LEAST ONE SAID ROLLER POSITIONED ON EACH SIDE OF A RAIL STRUCTURE, (C) EACH ROLLER INCLUDING A FLANGE PORTION FOR GRIPPINGLY ENGAGIANG THE UNDERSIDE OF A RAIL HEAD OF SAID RAIL STRUCTURE, (D) EACH GROUP INCLUDING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ROLLERS BETWEEN A CLOSED, RAIL-EMBRACING CONDITION AND AN OPEN, RAIL-RELEASING CONDITION, (E) SAID MOVING MEANS FOR EACH GROUP BEING OPERABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE MOVING MEANS FOR EACH OTHER GROUP, (F) A DETECTION MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH GROUP POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY FORWARDRLY AND REARWARDLY OF EACH GROUP FOR DETECTING AN ANGLE BAR ON SAID RAIL STRUCTURE (G) THE DETECTION MEANS FOR EACH GROUP BEING CONNECTED TO THE ROLLER MOVING MEANS OF THE SAME GROUP TO ACTUATE THE LATTER ON DETENTION OF AN ANGLE BAR TO MOVE THE ROLLERS TO OPEN CONDITION. 